Strong quake rocks waters off Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A strong earthquake of 6.6 rocked western Indonesia on Wednesday, but there was no tsunami and no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

It was centered 17 miles northwest of Sinabang town of North Sumatra province at a depth of 28 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake hit at 7:27 a.m. local time.

Suharjono from Indonesia’s meteorology and geophysic agency said the earthquake had no potential to generate a tsunami. He said an earthquake that close to the coast would have to be more powerful to generate a giant wave.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it is in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire. A magnitude 9.2 earthquake in 2004 triggered a tsunami in the area that killed 230,000 people.